Top 6 TED Talks to Inspire You

TED talks started back in 1984 and have bloomed into a video channel producing quality content by bringing you a dose of inspiration, new knowledge, and motivation, which are all Idea’s Worth Sharing! We absolutely love them because we actually feel fuller after watching them vs. when we would watch the news which is just ridden of negative stories.

After watching countless TED and TEDx Talks over breakfast, in the airport, or before heading out on a run, we’ve narrowed down our favourites to a list of our Top 6 TED Talks, and added our two cents for who really needs to watch them…

(we know they’re lengthy so if you’re tight on time, pick out the ones that will benefit you the most)

1) Stop Screwing Yourself Over

Mel Robbins calls people out in this TED talk on a very real world level. Her brute honesty and wise words will have you changing your thought process and actions around by later today.

Who really needs this: You are… – procrastinating

– frequently finding a way out of doing something “difficult” through excuses

– feeling unmotivated

2) Sell Your Crap. Pay Your Debt. Do What You Love.

This really resonated with us since we had our big move coming up when we watched it. We came from a place where we overhead people consistently complaining about the debt they had under their belts but somehow had a Louis Vuitton bag over their shoulder, a venti Starbucks in hand, and their bedazzled pick-up truck parked outside. Adam Baker takes you through his surprisingly liberating journey from a cookie cutter lifestyle, to chasing what he wanted.

Who really needs this: You are…

– a hoarder (many people think this term is only the extreme version of people who keep lots of crap….if you have a garage you can’t park in or a storage locker of any kind, you are likely a hoarder)

– those that believe once you have a kid, you have to stop doing the things you love

– you are financially uncomfortable

3) Learn to Travel – Travel to Learn

Robin Esrock packed his bags and set out on a year adventure around the world, touching down in 24 countries total. How is this different from the 3248023 travellers that also did that this year? He ventured off the beaten path to the places everyone warned him NOT to go; watch and see how it turned out for him and you’ll see how your “dream” destinations may quickly change.

Who really needs this: You are…

– about to head out on a trip

– get scared to travel (especially to 3rd world countries) because of all the “what if’s”

– have told someone “you should not travel there, it is unsafe”

4) The Most Beautiful Way to Stop a Bully I’ve Ever Seen

Many of us associate the word “bullying” with catty high school girls or immature kids. But when was the last time you looked to your friend and said “omg, did you see that person that just walked by and was wearing….” or sat down for a coffee date and 1/2 the time you’re analyzing someone else’s life. Shane Koyczan presents a beautiful, shocking, and honest talk on bullying. This video is hard to hear but at the same time hard to stop listening to.

Who really needs this:

– You have gossiped, judged, bullied or been bullied (aka everyone has hit at least one of these)

– You have children in school

5) How to Feel Like the Incredible Hulk

Tim Ferris is a complete wealth of knowledge. This guy has ran himself through multiple self-experiments and always comes out on the other end with a great story to tell and valuable lessons to share with others. We fully soaked up this video since we tend to set pretty big goals for ourselves and sometimes get stuck on where to start. Ferris talks about converting those big goals into just a bunch of simpler, smaller tasks to launch yourself into the process.

Who really needs this:

– You are an athlete or competitor

– You need a confidence boost

6) Hackschooling Makes Me Happy

Logan LaPante is mature, wise and clearly well-spoken in this TED talk….best part? He is 13 years old and never went to school. He talks about how not going to school has actually helped him become smarter, more diverse, and achieve his goals of being happy and healthy.

Both Jon and I went through schooling and graduated from university. Yes, we learnt tons but we also did not learn tons. After reflecting on our own education we seemed to gain lots of knowledge from it but when it came to some practical skills like knowing how to start a fire out in the wilderness, best way to search for the job you want, or how to handle stress in the most optimal way…we had to hit Google.

Who really needs this:

– You think school is the only option for education for kids

– You are curious on different ways your children can learn

Watch these videos – try swapping a TED Talk for the morning or evening news and see how different you feel after, hold off on the Game of Thrones for one night and watch a video that can teach you something, that can help you grow, that can change your mindset and push you to reach beyond your limitations.

You probably couldn’t tell me what was on the news last Tuesday, but these talks could resonate with you for years to come!